Storage battery



n. w.-DAVIS; STORAGE BATTERY. APPLICATION F|LEDJUNE2,19I9. ,491. Patented Nov. 23, 1920.

Dean W .avc'a /NvE/vron Yaew M, 2M@

ATTORNEY.

DEAN

W. ravis, roar Warne, intimit( senaat-fn BATTERY. p

inane-ai.

Application filed June 2, 1919.

.To all' whom t muy Concern Ee it; known that l. Dna): lV. Davis, a citizen ot the United States, residing at Fort Naf/ne, in the county of llen and State ot indiana, have invented new and useiful lmproveniients in Storage ot which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to storage batteries and particularly to the construct-ion ot' cells :tor said batteries,- and its object is to provide a cheap and durable cell having a high degree ot' eliiciency. p

In prior constructions of storage batteries the active material is torined into a paste and pressed into lead plates or vgrids and the plates are suspended in parallel relation in a container or jar, the positive and negatiye plates or electrodes being alternatelj,v

arranged. The electrodes are 'commonly separated troni one another by means ot thin sheets oit' wood, strips ot' rubber o1' other suitable material. ln tlre cycles ot charging and discharging batteries of `this type small paiticles'ot activeniaterial become loosened troni the electrodes and drop to the bottoni ot the containerv where they' accumulate. when the accumulation ot' the material reaches the lower ends' ot the elecf trodes the material short-circuits the elec-v trodes and the action ot the battery or cell is destroyed. TWhere the cell i's builtto give a high current on discharge the electrodes.

niust be formed in conii'iaratively tliiii sheets 'to avoid buckliiier or warping oi' the saine when the cell is dischargini` or is being charged. the heavyT charge or discharge also tendinpy to loosen the active material on the electrodes.

By in v invention l have eliminated all ot the above disadvantafresl aiidfothers hereinafter set forth and l accomplish the saine by isolatingl each electrode from the others so that all short-circuiting ot the electrodes and buckling' or warning .thereof is avoided and each molecule ot the active material is eliective to per't'orin -its 'functions in the cell.

ln the accompanying drawings l have illustrated one torni ot' the invention in which:-

Figure l a longitudinal ci'o'sssection of a cell constructed in accordance with the invention: l* in'. Q a crosssection on line '2-2 of Fig. l: Fic'. l a cross-section similar to Fig. .)fwith the exception that alternate coinpartmeiits are filled with electrolyte rather 'than occupied by an electrode and Fig. 4 is Specification of Letters atent'.

Batteries,

.otherwise treated or coated to render 4wall or the jar leakage proof.

llatented Nov. 23.1920. sarai no. 301.2053.

a moditied forni of partition.v

Referring to the'drawings, l'l'indicates a jar or container toi-med ot suitable non-conducting:r material and 1l are partitions eX tending troni v the bottom or' the jar to' a suitable height, the space between the top edges ot' the partitions and the top or mouth ot the jar forming afcavityll for a' small 'reservesupply ot' electrolyte as hereinafter described. The spaces between partitions 4ll torni compartments 13 which are isolated mechanicallyv by the partitions, all ot' the compartments having communication with cavityl). The partitions` are tormed'ot any suitable porous material such as lilter clay, a porous grade ot` porcelain or any other suitable porous non -conducting material. and in order to produce an economical cell thejjar and partitions niay'be integrally cast ormolded ot said material. as shown in Figsfl, 2 and 3. and when so formed, the

outer surface of the jar willjoe glazed or the An electrode. il consisting. ot a sheet ot' lead or a cast lead plate or other suitable form opt electrode -is suitably supported in each compartment and a powdered forni of active material 'having a positive electrical act-ion is placed or loosely packed in ala longitudinal cross-sect`ion Iof a cellhaving ternate compartments and about the elec- "l trodes therein, and asimilar toi-1n ot active material having a negative electrical action is loosely packed in ments and about the electrodes therein.

the' remaining comparte Each electrode may be perforated laterally atvarious points to receive material, as.

shown at le?, Fig. 2, for the purpose ot increasing` the capacity of said compartments for said material. Suitable extensions l5 are provided at the upper ed, .s of' the elec trodes which project upwardly and to which bars i6 and 1T are secured. bar 16 being secured to the extensions on the positive -electrodes and bar 1T being secured to the extensions on the negative electrodes. It suitable electrolyte is added or placed' iu thc cell the level ot' the same being at a desired or selected height above partitions ll in cav' ity 1:2 to torni a reserve supply of the same which is available tor all the conipartments` 13. .Si suitable cover is secured to the top or mouth ot' the container to prevent spillingr or the escape oit the electrolyte.

l may forni the electrodes of any suitable iets material and may use any form of active terial. I may also use any form of partion to dividethe cell into compartments mechanically isolated from each other` and may use as material for said partitions any suitable non-conducting material as rubber and form thin slots or apertures therein which will permit of communication between opposite sides 'of the partition `vitliout permitting the active material to pass through. In Figu i I have illustrated such slotted partitions 18 having any nmnber oi' slots 19 therein, the partitions beingr suit` ably sealed in the container, as in vertical grooves 2O formed in the Wall oi' the container. The` construction illustrated in Fig. -'lpermits different forms of material to be used in the container and in the partitions, such rubber, ebonite, glass, etc., for the container, and the same or other maerials tor the partitions.

lllhere the jar and partitions are formed of the same porous material the cell will be placed in a. suitable protecting container.

I may form as many1 compartments in the cell and. use as many electrodes therein as may be desired, I may make the compartments as wide as desired. For some purposes it may be desirable to use every alternate compartment for an electrode as shown in Fign 3, thus providing a compartment `lor lelectrolyte between each two electrodes.

It will be noted that as each compartment is mechanically isolated from each adjoining or neighboring compartment any accumulation of active material inthe bottom of a compartment can not short-circuit the electrode, in that compartment and that the isolation of the electrodes in the several compartments has no effect Whatever on the my battery is superior in capacity to other batteries of which I have knowledge.

What I claim is:

1. In a storage battery a container, a series'of fixed porous partitions in the container forming a series of isolated comparu ments, an electrode in each compartment, alternate electrodes being positive and the 'remainder negative, loose active material packed in each compartment about the electrode therein and an electrolyte common to all the compartments.

:2. In a storage battery a container, a series of parallel porous partitions integral with the bottom and two opposite side Walls of the container and dividing the container into a series of compartments, an electrode in each compartment, alternate electrodes being positive and connected together and the remainder of thel electrodes being negative and connected together, active material packed in each compartment in contact With the electrode therein and an electrolyte common to all the compartments.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 29th day of May,

DEAN IV. DAVIS. 

